Do I Wanna Know? (Snow)

[Buster]

As Josephine stumbled, Florus shifted only slightly. Raising an eyebrow as the man went to catch her, after all, it'd be extremely awkward if he just let her fall over. "Hey, I got ya.." Looking at her, his eyes first looking over her neck before noticing how far that suit had been unzipped. A furrowing of his brow and the man stared at her before turning his gaze to the side with a blink of his eyes. "Don't worry, it happened to me too a few times after my first couple of fights.." Florus offered Josephine a light roll of his shoulders, that is before saw that foothold and wire begin to come down.

"Hold onto me and I'll take you down." Spoken quietly, even as the man shifted to put his foot on one side of the hold and Florus would use his arms to help Josephine come around in front of him. Space enough for her foot on the wire as the man shifted his left arm to slide around her, wrapping around the woman's body, pulling to keep her against him.

Even as the machine began to work, taking them slowly to the floor his grey eyes shifted, to look down at her with a smirk on her lips. This felt weird, was it weird? Yeah, no, it was weird. What he should have done was listen to his brain and left Josephine to her own devices. Florus wouldn't say much, just staring quietly at the woman so close to him before he finally let out a long, quiet groan. "You pressed me hard, but I think I have you a good pounding, yeah?"

[Snow]

Josephine almost yelled, almost rounded on Florus when she felt his arm go round her waist, pulling her close, flush against him as the wire descended. She thought better of it when she realized she didn't want to fall, her cheeks burning as they stood, pressed together in silence for a long time before he spoke, head whipping up to look at him wide eyed, before she spoke.

"What... what are you talking about?" She asked, eyes flashing before she felt her feet touch the ground. She stared at Florus as if he had just accosted her for sex, looking at him like she may have just stepped in something foul. The clearing of a throat brought Josephine's attention over her shoulder, and she met Philippa's irritated visage. And the sharp tsk of disapproval from Elizabeth. It was then she realized Florus was still holding her, and drew herself away from him with a toss of her hair, a few of the boys on the tarmac giving her a once over as Caroline met her halfway.

"Sorry about the ZAKU, Liz..." She began, but Elizabeth strode briskly passed her, making her way to the machine before shooting Florus a scathing look. Caroline hem'd uncomfortably, and made to zip Josephine's pilot suit a bit.

"Let's get you checked out, okay Jo-Jo?" She said helpfully. She spared a glance over her shoulder at Florus before following her sister, and Susan stepped forward to meet the Ensign then.

"If you're done flirting," She said, unabashedly pointing out the obvious as if discussing the weather, "We can take you to our superiors now."

[Buster]

Wait, what?

It dawned on Florus, almost like an incoming migraine as the man sucked a deep breath in between his teeth. "Hold on, you think I'm flirting with you? That is not even remotely the case!" Florus raised a hand, pointing past her at the distance visage of the ship he arrived on. "They told me to come and be nice, because we're supposed to be working together! Orders, fire woman, I'm not flirting with you at all."

Florus flashed a frown as he moved to scoop up his helmet off the floor after four quick, angry steps. It had upset him to think she had thought that. What's wrong with being friendly?
However, as Susan stepped towards him, Florus raised a hand to point at her. "Don't do that, not now." His voice at that moment had very little warmth to it before the man would go to walk back towards the office where his neatly folded uniform was. "In time. I need to go see a doctor, I think some of my stitches opened back up."

In truth they hadn't, but Florus hadn't completely healed since the battle, mostly because the testing had been putting on him on a harsh pace. However, thanks to the color of his pilot suit, it'd be hard to tell if Florus St-Jacques was actually bleeding unless it was off.
"Do you want to know why you lost? The real reason why? You care too much while I don't. I have nothing, so I don't think twice about losing my life."
However, before Florus could continue, the harsh thump of Captain Brousse's cane echoed loudly off the tiled floor.

"Gentleman, ladies. Is there a problem here?"

Unlike Florus, who at times could be warm, jovial. Varden Brousse bore so no intent. Sharp eyes, and a cold voice were enough to send a chill down the spine of most men, and woman. However, the man was former Garde Impériale, a former pilot and one of Priscus Nox's trusted inner circle. Despite his cane, and hobbled walk, the man's face and eyes were that of a killer, and he slowly eyed the Quints before looking at Florus St-Jacques, who snapped to attention.

"No sir, no problem here."

[Snow]

All five sisters immediately looked at Florus like they clearly didn't believe a word of it as soon as he spoke. From her position behind the group, Elizabeth even let out a disbelieving scoff at the statement. They ordered him to be nice? They were the ones that sacrificed their entire day to prance him around base, giving him the proper VIP treatment, whatever that was. She was almost to the ZAKU when Captain Brousse approached, and turned to face the group again with another sigh. It looks like she wouldn't be getting a look at any of the machines today.

Susan had been preparing to give him some kind of schedule before she was stopped by the man's curt statement. Stitches indeed. He was well enough to all but grope Josephine on the way down from the Mobile Suits.

"I... I would be happy to take a look at them for you," Caroline said sweetly, "I can give you a quick physical along with Joey."

Josephine blanched. She was positive Caroline didn't mean it that way, and yet it sounded... But when Josephine looked again to Florus, his words cut through her like a hot knife through butter. Cared too much? Of course she did. She joined the military to make a difference. To prove herself as a person. To protect her sisters. To belittle that ambition was...

She took a sharp intake of breath, and for a moment looked at Florus as if he had slapped her-- for he'd obviously hurt her tender feelings-- before her expression switched to one of careful neutrality. When Captain Brousse approached, it was Philippa who spoke next.

"We were just informing Ensign St-Jacques of his next appointments, Sir." said Philippa smoothly.

[Buster]

"Of course you were, Miss Philippa, I'm sure Florus realizes he's being a bit rude. Mr. St-Jacques would be happy to let you check him out, isn't that right Ensign? We need to make sure your bionics are functioning properly, and that your stitches are closed."

Varden almost cracked a smile, but was still stone faced. Florus's cheek twitched for a moment before he nodded once. "Correct sir." Captain Brousse would have nodded, but instead turned his eyes, looking towards Elizabeth. "Since we'll be together for a while, feel free to look over the G-Bouncer. General Young has told me it's okay. When you're finished today Ensign, please call Mr. Calabrese, you have an appointment with him." With that, the man shifted. His cane hitting the ground heavily as he began to make his way to a car as it pulled up to the front of that hanger.

Florus St-Jacques didn't want it mentioned he had some bionics, mostly because he didn't like other people to know his business. However, he turned his eyes to Josie, "I flat lined twice on the table on the Charlemagne, bionic lung." Not that he could remember, but the man was serious enough about it as he held his helmet under his arm, loose enough it wouldn't press into his side.

"So I was told anyway. Last thing I remember was being shot three times, then poof. I woke up on Luna, almost a week later, alone." As jovial as it sounded, it was the truth. He was kept under until after his surgery by Dr. Brownwell, but thanks to modern medicine, and his coordinator genes he healed fairly quickly.

"Ah, sorry? Got worked up..won't happen again."

[Snow]

The sisters all looked at each other in stunned silence for a moment. Captain Brousse, he... could tell them apart? The fact he had used their given names, while a little rude, was more than impressive, and the sisters couldn't help but feel a sense of unease in his presence.

The girls were quiet through Florus' quick explanation, and upon his apology, Josephine stared blankly ahead, not quite ready to forgive him just yet, and Elizabeth departed shortly thereafter, heading first to the G-Bouncer. With an exasperated sigh that clearly demonstrated she gave up, Susan-- Philippa in tow, made their way to the office. Caroline looked at Florus and Josephine timidly then.

"Alright... shall we?" She said, gesturing for the pair to follow. There was a slight limp to Josephine's walk, no wonder she had stumbled on the way out of the ZAKU, plunging forward like that on the last attack must have screwed up her ankle. She was certain Caroline would fuss, even if she was a good doctor. A few of the officers on the tarmac stopped what they were doing to look over the girls as they departed, and with the new injury, though light, Josephine felt distinctly like some sort of zoo animal.

[Buster]

Florus St-Jacques didn't like the look of the officers, and the man would shift, stepping in front of Josephine. Largely to block her from the view of those animals before he glanced over his shoulder at her, "You have some unexpected guests looking." He didn't mind looking at Josie with her suit unzipped like that, but Florus would slow his pace until Josephine was almost against his back. It was then he'd turn to face her and after raising an eyebrow the man shifted, "Sorry in advance."

Sorry for what? Well, for what he was about to do. Leaning down, Florus's face was close to Josie's, enough that his lips were close enough to touch hers if he moved even a little bit closer as he reached a hand down. Pulling up on that suit's zipper until it was far enough up the officers would go stop leering, "They're a bunch of assholes." Okay, now, Florus St-Jacques was eighty five percent sure what he just did counted as sexual harassment. However, he'd stress it was for a good reason, and he'd offer a slight shrug of his shoulders as he stiffened, waiting for a smack to be coming his way. "Hey, hey, you shouldn't have to get leered at like that.."

He meant it too, and the man offered Caroline a slight shrug of his shoulders, what else was he supposed to do?

[Snow]

"What?" Josephine was lost in her thoughts, looking up at Florus before glancing over her shoulder. The officers? They looked at the sisters all the time, it wasn't unusual, they were... an oddity, right? His sudden slowing almost saw Josephine walk right into his back, and Caroline looked over her shoulder at the pair curiously.

Florus leaned so close into Josephine she could feel the blood pounding in her ears at his proximity. She almost cowed, though managed to fight the urge to step backward away from him. She took a sharp little intake of breath, lips parting. Was he... he wasn't going to kiss her, was he? She looked up at him, eyes wide and a few of the boys on the tarmac even whistled-- though Josephine barely heard them. She felt his fingers on the zipper of her suit then, pulling it up to cover her exposed figure.

Her eyes hardened dangerously then, and at once realized he had taken the opportunity to harass her again.

"Y-You... ass!" Her hand drew up, giving Florus' cheek a hard slap before she attempted to walk briskly in front of her, her lip so pronounced now it was hard to keep upright. Caroline caught her and helped her the rest of the way to her office, looking over her shoulder curiously to Florus as Josephine leaned on her.

[Buster]

How? How was he the ass?

Granted, the smack hurt like hell, but still..how was he the bad guy? As Florus rubbed his face, he glanced at Caroline, rolling his shoulders with a confused look on his face. Seriously, what was with this girl?

Jesus, it made Florus want to grab her another the throat and squeeze, still, orders were orders. As he shifted a hand, Florus took his right hand and slipped it under his pilot suit. To where he had those stitches keeping the small wound closed, when he felt something wet on his fingers he'd frown. Pulling back his fingers, the man shifted those digits as he followed along behind Caroline and Josephine. "How much further?" He wouldn't mention what he felt, but he let a slight grimace cross his handsome face as the shaggy haired pilot continued to watch Josephine.

Wait a second..no, no way. Florus narrowed his grey eyes at the woman as it finally dawned on him, did she actually think, or want him to kiss her? No way, that's just..weird. Is it weird? Yeah, just a bit..or so Florus St-Jacques continued to tell himself.

[Snow]

"Not much farther," Caroline said, leading the pair to her office with decided purpose. It was pristine and impersonal, every bit a doctor's office. She sat elegantly in the desk chair in the corner, gesturing for Josephine and Florus to take position near the hospital bed that lay against the wall. Crossing her legs, Caroline brought up a few files that had been afforded to them with Florus' arrival, her brow furrowing with concern as she read a bit.

"Jo-Jo, why don't you take the weight off your ankle," She said, gesturing to the bed, "I want to examine Florus first, maybe fix his stitches if the wound reopened."

Josephine plopped down unceremoniously, a little sigh escaping her as the painful pressure on her ankle was lifted. She leaned back, falling atop the (admittedly hard and uncomfortable) mattress as she waited her turn, sneaking a quick glance to Florus. Good, the jerk would deserve it if is stitches reopened, after what he did before...

Caroline smiled sweetly at the Ensign, "If you please?" She said to him softly.

[Buster]

Standing in front of an exam table, Florus cast a side long glance at Josephine. Grey eyes studying the woman quietly before he'd sat his helmet aside as his hands went down to his pilot suit. Unzipping it down to the top of his waist before the man slowly began to peel it down. That is until it pooled around the top of his waist, however, thanks to his standing position, that left side was out of sight to Josie. That is until Florus turned around. The staples on his back had held, over the three and a half inch long wound, from where he had been impaled. A small trickle was going down his left side, much to Florus's annoyance.

Without the suit on, it would be clear Florus generally took good care of himself. Broad shoulder, he was even bit of two hundred and ten pounds, as his doctor told him the last time he had a physical: he was in extremely good shape. Sitting up on the table with a heavy groan, the man leaned his had back as he sat back, hands placed behind him as he looked over at Caroline. "I'll be glad when this heals up, even if it makes me feel like a freak for having a bionic lung..but you can look at Josie first. Looks like she needs more help than I do."

Finished with a shrug of his shoulders, the man sighed softly before he shifted that gaze back to Josephine, watching her again.

[Snow]

Caroline's sweet face frowned for a moment, she may have been good natured but she wouldn't be ordered about in her own office. She shook her head a little.

"I think not, Ensign St-Jacques," She said with quiet resolve, "I'll be examining you first, you've reopened your wound. Please let me see it."

Josephine spared a glance to Florus as Caroline began to tend to him. Her eyes widened when he began to stop, and her ears pink, turned on her side abruptly, holding her shoulders. She had shared physicals before of course. With her sisters or the girls at school, but never with a guy. Did he have to be so blasé about the whole thing? Didn't he have any shame at all. She peeked over her shoulder at the fit soldier again, fair falling in front of her face. She just wanted the whole ordeal to be over.

"Don't argue with the doctor." said Josephine with a stubborn air of correction, half in an attempt to distract herself, and half out of the desire to needle Florus-- why, she couldn't say.

[Buster]

Florus turned his eyes back to Caroline as he lifted his left arm. Across the surgical wound, one of the six staples had popped out, if it was bothering me. "Lung feels fine 'Doc.." He meant it too as the man rested his other hand on his right thigh as he glanced at Caroline. Thankfully the lacerations had healed by now and Florus St-Jacques sighed softly.

He was checking out Josephine as much as he felt she was doing to him. God, he really shouldn't be doing that, he didn't like her, however, as he heard what she said he grinned slightly before looking back at the fiery pilot. "I could think of other people I'd rather argue with more than the good Doctor."

Was he talking about her? Florus was, but still..he shouldn't try to needle Josephine, he did feel bad for what happened to her.

[Snow]

With a frown Caroline did manage to replace the staple which had ruptured, but not before giving Florus a long lecture about taking better care of himself, especially if he was going into combat. Caroline was a talented physician, and she meant well, but Josephine knew she could be a bit overbearing and maternal at times. But in a way, that kept the sisters well provided for emotionally. She couldn't complain. At last Caroline motioned for Florus to take a seat, while Josephine stood before her sister, her limp improved but still painful. Caroline gave a little tut.

"I need to take a look at that." She said, glancing in Florus' direction quickly before handing Josephine a small hospital gown, "Jo..."

Josephine's eyes widened as she looked from her sister to Florus, before turning her gaze quickly away and gingerly taking the gown from her sister. This was fine. Just like being back in training... Josephine unzipped her pilot suit, peeling the garment from her body before replacing it with the surgical gown. Caroline led Josephine to the examination table, working around the girl's ankle before frowning again when Josephine winced.

"It's not broken, but we should at least get some ice for the sprain." She said, making her way from the office. It was true, her superior coordinator genetics did ensure a fast heal, but a little comfort from the pain wouldn't be unwelcome. She smiled at Caroline as she watched her leave-- only for her expression to freeze in shock when she realized she would inevitably be left alone with Florus. She glanced at him once more, and quickly away again, covering her naked arms with her hands.

Put a damn shirt on or something, you pillock, Josephine thought, expression cross.

[Buster]

"I promise, I'll be more careful next time."

Florus St-Jacques often thought he was a gentleman. One wouldn't look in a case like this, but he did anyway, for a reason he couldn't explain. Grey pupils sliding over Josephine before turning away as he listened to Caroline looking over the woman's ankle. He really shouldn't cast sidelong glances at the pilot in the hospital gown, and his mind shifted. Thinking back to when she slapped him. He was almost sure that's what she expected and when Caroline left to get that ice he'd stay still for all of thirty seconds.
At first, when his feet touched the floor he didn't look at Josie, instead he'd stand there.

Running a bare hand over his side before he finally glanced at the woman and would take a short few steps to close the distance to her. Slowly he'd lean over, placing his hands on the table, on either side of Josie as the man brought his face close to hers again. This time he'd whisper, quietly as his mouth parted to pass each carefully spoken word. "Sorry about before.."

Sorry for then, but not for this. Leaning in close, close enough he was against Josephine, Florus's mouth shifted to slowly slide against hers. Tasting her sweet lips, the man did the bold action of kissing the pilot as his left hand reached up, slowly trailing his fingers softly along the back of her neck.
Who cares if she was going to smack him again, might as well properly apologize right?

[Snow]

She... was leaving.

Caroline was leaving, abandoning Josephine with this... this... that, Florus, in search of ice. She would be better soon, there was really no need. She shifted uncomfortably on the exam table when the door shut, pressing her thighs together tight, hands at her forearms. She prayed the time would pass quickly, smoothly... she wished Florus would put his shirt on. She looked at him sidelong, no matter how handsome he was, she knew he was just some slick git with an attitude problem, surely they could go back to their scheduled duties soon...

Josephine jumped when Florus came to stand before her-- when she noticed-- jarred from her thoughts the way she felt when an enemy unit came in range of her weapons. She looked up at him for a long moment, a little aghast, eyes open wide. The cyan pools darted over his face, examining him, lips parting silently as if to say something. She paused. He was... apologising to her? She swallowed hard, bringing her arms up to cross her chest, breasts straining against the thin cotton of the hospital gown. She felt terribly exposed here. Vulnerable.

"I..." She said carefully, "I don't know what you--" she couldn't finish the sentence, his lips meeting hers before she could finish the sentence. The soft crescents parted, granting him purchase before she knew what she was doing. She inhaled sharply, her tongue darting out to kiss him back, arms flying round his neck. This was stupid, her sister would return soon with the ice. Or one of the others. She hadn't thought through her actions properly-- no. She hadn't thought at all. She gasped softly against his mouth, as if realising her error and attempting to move away. She quivered lightly, barely able to move backward.

[Buster]

Now this, this was truly unexpected.

Sure, Florus rightly deserved those multitude of slaps, and maybe even more for his attitude. The way she tasted, reacted to him made Florus shiver, his skin goosebumping. When he realized Josephine's arms were around him like that he wanted to make some sort of witty quip. However, that would be a difficult thing to do, all things considered. Florus's tongue met hers, but when she gasped and tried to move away he'd go to deepen the kiss as a free hand went to lay her down flat on that table, with him still standing and over her.

Florus at first didn't hear the tap of a cane. However, when it hit the table he had been on, the sound went off like a gunshot in that room and the man shot straight up. Stiff as a board as those grey eyes looked at Josephine, and he did shiver, mostly because he'd only seen Varden Brousse made twice. Florus was glad the man needed a cane for his injuries or he'd like have done something a lot worse than shiver.
"Just..what the hell are you doing Ensign St-Jacques?"

Think quick, think quick. "Sir, I was..seeing if she sustained any oral injuries." As Florus wheeled around to face the man, who had the same look he always did. However, Josephine, and Florus easily were able to see he would kill Florus on the spot if he wanted, and was barely restraining himself from actually hurting him. Knuckles white from grasping the silver head of his cane as the man replied in a quiet, cold voice. "With your tongue, Ensign? We'll have to have a very long..discussion about what you did today." Varden only glanced at Josephine for a moment, he wouldn't say anything other than her, only let his blue eyes stare at the woman for a moment before he turned on his heel and began to leave. "Once you're..finished. Come back to the ship, Ensign, both of our parties are going back to the Moon..before we stop on earth."

Even as the door closed, Florus was still stiff as can be before he finally relaxed with a long sigh before muttering, mostly to himself. "Good lord, still scares the daylights out of me. Most of those ex-Garde people are like that, but he's on another level.."

[Snow]

Josephine mewled softly into Florus' mouth when he prevented her escape, pushed back down onto the examination table, hands reaching up to twine in his dark, shaggy hair. She jumped when she heard the sharp slap of the cane against the table, and dropped her arms from Florus when he flinched backward, their lips separating with a lewd pop. Grey met cerulean, and Josephine said nothing. She looked thoroughly ravished now, panting, chest rising and falling sharply with each breath. Her lips were parted, rosy and swollen from his kiss, her eyes a mixture of surprise and something else.

And then she frowned.

Was he an idiot? The humiliated flush of pink rose from her chest straight to her cheeks, and she wished she had slapped him again. She would get in trouble for this, surely. Not a court martial, but a stern reprimand nonetheless. Josephine trembled under Captain Brousse's stare, intimidated. Ashamed. She looked away...

The Moon? Earth? Protest surged inside her, she didn't want to spend more time with Florus. She chanced a look at him again when Caroline all but pranced into the room, a coldpack in her hands, "Here we are, I'm sorry it took so long-- we'll have you walking again in no time, Joey."

In truth, Josephine didn't much need the ice after the events which transpired earlier anymore. When the pair were appropriately looked after, they boarded the lunar bound ship.